The University of Western Australia
Assoc/Prof Ben Corry
Associate Professor
Contact details
| Address | Chemistry The University of Western Australia (M313) 35 Stirling Highway CRAWLEY WA 6009 Australia |
|---|---|
| Phone | 6488 3166 |
| Fax | 6488 1005 |
| ben.corry@uwa.edu.au |
Location
Room 409, Molecular and Chemical Sciences Building, Crawley campus
Key research
- Determining the origins of ion selective binding and transport in biological molecules.
- Measuring the conformational changes involved in gating mechanosensitive channels using FRET
- Acetylcholine receptors
- Selective transport in synthetic pores with applications to filtration and desalination
- Developing computational and FRET methodologies for studying ion channels
Major research interests
- Structure and function of biological molecules
- Theoretical and computational biophysics
Qualifications
BA BSc PhD A.N.U.
Publications
Chen Song and Ben Corry. Ion conduction in ligand gated ion channels: Brownian
dynamics studies of four recent crystal structures. Biophys. J. In press, 2009.
Chen Song and Ben Corry. An intrinsic ion selectivity of narrow hydrophobic pores. J. Phys. Chem. B. 113: 7642-7649, 2009.
Chen Song and Ben Corry. Role of acetylcholine receptor domains in ion selectivity. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1788: 1466-1473, 2009.
N.M. Smith, B. Corry, K. Swaminathan Iyer, M. Norret and C.L. Raston. A microfluidic platform to synthesise a G-quadruplex binding ligand. Lab on a Chip, 9:2021-2025, 2009.
B. Dittrich, J.E. Warran, F.P.A. Fabbiani, W. Morgenroth and B. Corry. Temperature dependence of rotational disorder in a non-standard amino acid from X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulation, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 11: 2601-209, 2009
Taira Vora, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Brownian dynamics study of flux ratios in sodium channels. Eur. Biophys. J. 38: 45-52, 2008.
Ben Corry and Dylan Jayatilaka. Simulation of structure, orientation and energy transfer between AlexaFluor molecules attached to MscL. Biophys. J. 95:2711-2721, 2008.
Ben Corry. Designing carbon nanotube membranes for efficient water desalination. J. Phys. Chem. B. 112:1427-1434. 2008.
Ben Corry and Boris Martinac. Bacterial mechanosensitive channels: Experiment and theory. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1778:1859-1870, 2008.
Ben Corry and Boris Martinac. Computational studies of bacterial mechanosensitive channels. In: Mechanosensitive Ion Channels (A Kamkin and I Kiseleva Eds) Springer, New York, 2008.
Michael Thomas, Dylan Jayatilaka and Ben Corry. The predominant role of coordination number in potassium channel selectivity. Biophys. J. 93:2635-2643, 2007.
Shin-Ho Chung and Ben Corry. Conduction properties of KcsA measured using Brownian dynamics with flexible carbonyl groups in the selectivity filter. Biophys. J. 93:44-53, 2007.
Livia Hool and Ben Corry. Redox Control of Calcium Channels: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 9:409-435, 2007.
Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Mechanisms of valence selectivity in biological ion channels. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 63: 301-315, 2006.
Ben Corry. An energy efficient gating mechanism in the acetylcholine receptor channel suggested by molecular and Brownian dynamics. Biophys. J. 90: 799-810, 2006.
Taira Vora, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Brownian dynamics investigation into the conductance state of the MscS channel crystal structure. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1758:730-737, 2006.
Ben Corry, Dylan Jayatilaka, Boris Martinac and Paul Rigby. Determination of the orientational distribution and orientation factor for transfer between membrane bound fluorophores using a confocal microscope. Biophys. J. 91:1032-1045, 2006.
Ben Corry. Understanding ion channel selectivity and gating and their role in cellular signalling. Mol. BioSyst. 2:527-535 2006. Cover picture
Ben Corry and Livia Hool. Calcium channels. In: Biological membrane Ion channels: Dynamics Structure and Applications (eds. S.H. Chung, O.S. Andersen and V. Krishnamurthy) Springer, New York. Chapter 7 Pp 241-299.
Taira Vora, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. A Model of sodium channels. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1668, 106-116, 2005.
Ben Corry, Taira Vora and Shin-Ho Chung. Electrostatic basis of valence selectivity in cationic channels. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1711, 72-86, 2005.
Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Influence of protein flexibility on the electrostatic energy landscape in gramicidin A. Eur. Biophys. J. 34, 208-216, 2005.
David Bisset, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. The fast gating mechanism in ClC-0 channels. Biophys. J.89:179 - 186, 2005.
Ben Corry, Dylan Jayatilaka and Paul Rigby. A flexible approach to the calculation of resonance energy transfer efficiency between multiple donors and acceptors in complex geometries. Biophys. J. 89:3822-3836, 2005.
Ben Corry, Paul Rigby, Zhen-Wei Liu and Boris Martinac. Conformational changes involved in MscL channel gating measured using FRET spectroscopy. Biophys. J. 89:L49-L51, 2005.
Shin-Ho Chung and Ben Corry. Three computational methods for studying permeation, selectivity and dynamics in biological ion channels. Soft Matter. 1: 417-427, 2005. Cover Picture
B. Corry, M. O'Mara and S. H. Chung. Conduction mechanisms of chloride ions in ClC-type channels. Biophys. J. 86, 846-860, 2004. Cover Picture
B. Corry, M. O'Mara and S. H. Chung. Permeation dynamics of chloride ions in the ClC-0 and ClC-1 channels. Chem. Phys. Lett. 386, 233-238, 2004.
Ben Corry. Theoretical conformation of the closed and open states of the acetylcholine receptor channel. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1663, 2-5, 2004.
Ben Corry, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Dielectric Self -Energy in Poisson-Boltzmann and Poisson-Nernst-Planck Models of Ion Channels. Biophys. J., 84, 3594-3606, 2003.
Ben Corry, Matthew Hoyles, Toby W. Allen, Michael Walker, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Reservoir Boundaries in Brownian Dynamics Simulations of Ion Channels. Biophys. J. 82, 1975-1984, 2002.
Scott Edwards, Ben Corry, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Continuum electrostatics fails to describe ion permeation in the gramicidin channel. Biophys. J. 83, 1348-1360, 2002.
Ben Corry. Simulation Studies of Biological Ion Channels. PhD Thesis . The Australian National University, 2002. part A, part B
Ben Corry, Toby W. Allen, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Mechanisms of Permeation and Selectivity in Calcium Channels. Biophys. J. 80, 195-214, 2001.
B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Invalidity of continuum theories of electrolytes in nanopores. Chem. Phys. Lett. 320, 35-41, 2000.
G. Moy, B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Tests of continuum theories as models of ion channels: I. Poisson-Boltzmann theory versus Brownian dynamics. Biophys. J. 78, 2349-2363, 2000.
B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Tests of continuum theories as models of ion channels: II. Poisson-Nernst-Planck theory versus Brownian dynamics. Biophys. J. 78, 2364-2381, 2000.
Ben Corry, Toby W. Allen, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. A Model of Calcium Channels. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1509, 1-6, 2000.
B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Test of Poisson-Nernst-Planck theory of ion channels. J. Gen. Physiol. 114, 597-599, 1999.
dynamics studies of four recent crystal structures. Biophys. J. In press, 2009.
Chen Song and Ben Corry. An intrinsic ion selectivity of narrow hydrophobic pores. J. Phys. Chem. B. 113: 7642-7649, 2009.
Chen Song and Ben Corry. Role of acetylcholine receptor domains in ion selectivity. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1788: 1466-1473, 2009.
N.M. Smith, B. Corry, K. Swaminathan Iyer, M. Norret and C.L. Raston. A microfluidic platform to synthesise a G-quadruplex binding ligand. Lab on a Chip, 9:2021-2025, 2009.
B. Dittrich, J.E. Warran, F.P.A. Fabbiani, W. Morgenroth and B. Corry. Temperature dependence of rotational disorder in a non-standard amino acid from X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulation, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 11: 2601-209, 2009
Taira Vora, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Brownian dynamics study of flux ratios in sodium channels. Eur. Biophys. J. 38: 45-52, 2008.
Ben Corry and Dylan Jayatilaka. Simulation of structure, orientation and energy transfer between AlexaFluor molecules attached to MscL. Biophys. J. 95:2711-2721, 2008.
Ben Corry. Designing carbon nanotube membranes for efficient water desalination. J. Phys. Chem. B. 112:1427-1434. 2008.
Ben Corry and Boris Martinac. Bacterial mechanosensitive channels: Experiment and theory. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1778:1859-1870, 2008.
Ben Corry and Boris Martinac. Computational studies of bacterial mechanosensitive channels. In: Mechanosensitive Ion Channels (A Kamkin and I Kiseleva Eds) Springer, New York, 2008.
Michael Thomas, Dylan Jayatilaka and Ben Corry. The predominant role of coordination number in potassium channel selectivity. Biophys. J. 93:2635-2643, 2007.
Shin-Ho Chung and Ben Corry. Conduction properties of KcsA measured using Brownian dynamics with flexible carbonyl groups in the selectivity filter. Biophys. J. 93:44-53, 2007.
Livia Hool and Ben Corry. Redox Control of Calcium Channels: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Opportunities. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. 9:409-435, 2007.
Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Mechanisms of valence selectivity in biological ion channels. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 63: 301-315, 2006.
Ben Corry. An energy efficient gating mechanism in the acetylcholine receptor channel suggested by molecular and Brownian dynamics. Biophys. J. 90: 799-810, 2006.
Taira Vora, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Brownian dynamics investigation into the conductance state of the MscS channel crystal structure. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1758:730-737, 2006.
Ben Corry, Dylan Jayatilaka, Boris Martinac and Paul Rigby. Determination of the orientational distribution and orientation factor for transfer between membrane bound fluorophores using a confocal microscope. Biophys. J. 91:1032-1045, 2006.
Ben Corry. Understanding ion channel selectivity and gating and their role in cellular signalling. Mol. BioSyst. 2:527-535 2006. Cover picture
Ben Corry and Livia Hool. Calcium channels. In: Biological membrane Ion channels: Dynamics Structure and Applications (eds. S.H. Chung, O.S. Andersen and V. Krishnamurthy) Springer, New York. Chapter 7 Pp 241-299.
Taira Vora, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. A Model of sodium channels. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1668, 106-116, 2005.
Ben Corry, Taira Vora and Shin-Ho Chung. Electrostatic basis of valence selectivity in cationic channels. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1711, 72-86, 2005.
Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. Influence of protein flexibility on the electrostatic energy landscape in gramicidin A. Eur. Biophys. J. 34, 208-216, 2005.
David Bisset, Ben Corry and Shin-Ho Chung. The fast gating mechanism in ClC-0 channels. Biophys. J.89:179 - 186, 2005.
Ben Corry, Dylan Jayatilaka and Paul Rigby. A flexible approach to the calculation of resonance energy transfer efficiency between multiple donors and acceptors in complex geometries. Biophys. J. 89:3822-3836, 2005.
Ben Corry, Paul Rigby, Zhen-Wei Liu and Boris Martinac. Conformational changes involved in MscL channel gating measured using FRET spectroscopy. Biophys. J. 89:L49-L51, 2005.
Shin-Ho Chung and Ben Corry. Three computational methods for studying permeation, selectivity and dynamics in biological ion channels. Soft Matter. 1: 417-427, 2005. Cover Picture
B. Corry, M. O'Mara and S. H. Chung. Conduction mechanisms of chloride ions in ClC-type channels. Biophys. J. 86, 846-860, 2004. Cover Picture
B. Corry, M. O'Mara and S. H. Chung. Permeation dynamics of chloride ions in the ClC-0 and ClC-1 channels. Chem. Phys. Lett. 386, 233-238, 2004.
Ben Corry. Theoretical conformation of the closed and open states of the acetylcholine receptor channel. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1663, 2-5, 2004.
Ben Corry, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Dielectric Self -Energy in Poisson-Boltzmann and Poisson-Nernst-Planck Models of Ion Channels. Biophys. J., 84, 3594-3606, 2003.
Ben Corry, Matthew Hoyles, Toby W. Allen, Michael Walker, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Reservoir Boundaries in Brownian Dynamics Simulations of Ion Channels. Biophys. J. 82, 1975-1984, 2002.
Scott Edwards, Ben Corry, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Continuum electrostatics fails to describe ion permeation in the gramicidin channel. Biophys. J. 83, 1348-1360, 2002.
Ben Corry. Simulation Studies of Biological Ion Channels. PhD Thesis . The Australian National University, 2002. part A, part B
Ben Corry, Toby W. Allen, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. Mechanisms of Permeation and Selectivity in Calcium Channels. Biophys. J. 80, 195-214, 2001.
B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Invalidity of continuum theories of electrolytes in nanopores. Chem. Phys. Lett. 320, 35-41, 2000.
G. Moy, B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Tests of continuum theories as models of ion channels: I. Poisson-Boltzmann theory versus Brownian dynamics. Biophys. J. 78, 2349-2363, 2000.
B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Tests of continuum theories as models of ion channels: II. Poisson-Nernst-Planck theory versus Brownian dynamics. Biophys. J. 78, 2364-2381, 2000.
Ben Corry, Toby W. Allen, Serdar Kuyucak and Shin-Ho Chung. A Model of Calcium Channels. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1509, 1-6, 2000.
B. Corry, S. Kuyucak and S. H. Chung. Test of Poisson-Nernst-Planck theory of ion channels. J. Gen. Physiol. 114, 597-599, 1999.
Honours and awards
Young Scientist of the Year at the 2008 WA Premier's Science Awards
Current projects
Our research examines the selective binding and transport of ions, water and other small molecules through porous structures. A particular focus is the family of ion channel proteins that regulate electrical signalling in organisms by providing selective pathways for ions across cell membranes that can be opened and closed in response to various stimuli. Gaining a fundamental understanding of these proteins at an atomic level may aid the treatment of a range of neuromuscular diseases from epilepsy to muscular dystrophy. Selective binding and transport is also a feature of many synthetic molecules that are finding applications in a range of industries.
Proteins and macromolecules can be difficult to study due to their size, functioning at the interface of microscopic molecular behaviour and macroscopic mechanical behaviour. To investigate them we use a combination of computational techniques including ab initio, molecular dynamics, coarse grain, Brownian dynamics and macroscopic calculations. In addition we utilise FRET microscopy (Förster Resonance Energy Transfer) to experimentally study the conformational changes of proteins as they function.
Research Highlight: Cheaper fresh water from desalination
Many parts of the world, including most of Australia’s major cities are facing water shortages due to both an increasing population and shifts in the climate. Desalination of sea water via reverse osmosis is an attractive means of obtaining potable water, but one of its main drawbacks is the energy and cost required to force the water through semipermeable membranes that block the passage of the salt. The energy costs could be reduced, however, if new membranes could be developed with continuous pores that offer less resistance to water. Many narrow biological pores do just this: a pore of a given radius surrounded by non-polar atoms can allow for water to pass, but impede the passage of ions. Research in the group has shown that membranes formed from synthetic pores that mimic these biological channels, such as carbon nanotubes, can be used in desalination. Not only has this work shown the exact dimensions of the pores that are required, but also that such membranes could significantly reduce the energy cost of reverse osmosis.
Proteins and macromolecules can be difficult to study due to their size, functioning at the interface of microscopic molecular behaviour and macroscopic mechanical behaviour. To investigate them we use a combination of computational techniques including ab initio, molecular dynamics, coarse grain, Brownian dynamics and macroscopic calculations. In addition we utilise FRET microscopy (Förster Resonance Energy Transfer) to experimentally study the conformational changes of proteins as they function.
Research Highlight: Cheaper fresh water from desalination
Many parts of the world, including most of Australia’s major cities are facing water shortages due to both an increasing population and shifts in the climate. Desalination of sea water via reverse osmosis is an attractive means of obtaining potable water, but one of its main drawbacks is the energy and cost required to force the water through semipermeable membranes that block the passage of the salt. The energy costs could be reduced, however, if new membranes could be developed with continuous pores that offer less resistance to water. Many narrow biological pores do just this: a pore of a given radius surrounded by non-polar atoms can allow for water to pass, but impede the passage of ions. Research in the group has shown that membranes formed from synthetic pores that mimic these biological channels, such as carbon nanotubes, can be used in desalination. Not only has this work shown the exact dimensions of the pores that are required, but also that such membranes could significantly reduce the energy cost of reverse osmosis.
Research profile
